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ANTRIM. 137
Leaving Cushendall we enter a wild country, surrounded on all sides by
barren but most magnificent mountains, down which run innumerable streams,
Inarked in the distance by white lines of foam; and, after a. few miles, we
ascend a steep hill road above the graceful sea-village of Cushendun, at the
head of a. small bay, into which rushes the rapid river Glendun, crossed by a
picturesque bridge. A most extended and most beautiful prospect is pre-
sented from every part of this road: a lovely valley on the one hand and the
open sea on the othcr.""
"' The Glens in this neighbourhood are rich in all that can delight the eye, and satisfy the mind; they
are as full of wild poetry as their ocean‘ shells of the music of the waters. In Cl]Sll(‘fl(l’lll the basaltic ranges
are most inviting to the geologist; the marks of Danish “intruxi-in" are frequently to be observed; and
while the peasants bring their yarn or drive their cattle to the fairs in the pretty town which bears the name
i of the glen, they chant or recite fragments of Os-sian's poetry. The inn is a pleasant 1'cstin;:-place for the
weary traveller, for the place, like all mountain districts, is full of legends; not a hundred yards from the
inn is a green patch of turf, washed almnst by the sea, and beneath it repose the remains nfa gigantic Danish
pirate who was slain, some say by the hand of Ossian himself-while others declare he was cut to pieces by a.
band of harvesters, who despatched the mighty man with their reapingehouks.
The ruined chapel of Lade is exquisitely situated, and the people tell you it was once a nunnery, founded by
a Danish princess, " or some great Christiz:n.” But the legend attached to the Danish rath, called Court
lllcMartin, is the most amusing ofull; for .lIc.llartin, or Martin Mac Owen, was no less a person tlnm Lord of
the Seven Glens, whose castle topped the llath. ,
Martin was originally nothing greater than a fisher-boy, who once, when returning from casting his net
in the river llall, saw a large ship, whose poop was of gold, and sails of purple silk, at anchor in the hay,
and upon the deck sat the captain reading a book of strange characters, for he was a magician. “ Come up
here, my boy," says the Mt;-ologer; -‘just stand upon that piece of stone, and come your Ways "-and
, Marlin stood on the stone, am! 'mmediately it separated from the main rock, and before it reached the ship it
had turned into a silver boat. “ Mind me, Martini," said the mighty captain, “ before I quite this, I'm fated
, to marry a lady of Cushendall ; so, back with you at once, for it must be within three hours, and do not fear
for yourself or her; for I have wealth enough to reward you both, and make men of you," he says, “that
will flog the world for riches ;"-and the boat put back with Martin--the silver boat, made out of the sliver
ofa ruck. “ Martin” continued the guide of Cushendall, “ had a very pretty wife of his own, and she was
mighty sweet intirely to look at, except that every now and then the devil would keep creeping-creeping
out of the corner of her twinkling black eyes; those that had nothing to say to her thought this only made
her the more engaging; but this was not her husband's tlmu;:ht; and so he planned if he could persuade her
to marry and go of? with the necromanccr. she would be well provided for, and so would lie. And his heart
smote him once or twice for turning over the poor wee lassie to a stranger: F0!‘ Will‘ “H ll" dc‘'ll''.V 5]” l"“l "‘
fond heart and a winning way with her; but he settled it with his con>Cl9nC9q "5 m“"." 3 "'3" ‘M l’er"” Mm’
that ‘Sure it was seeking to bettcr her he was. shE'll be a fine lady, and nothing to bind?!‘ ll": 501'?’
than being the wife of Martin, the fisherman of Cushendall.' Well, partly by threats and partly by promises,
he succeeded in persuading the pretty vixen to accompany him to the ship: but "5 ll” “"3 l‘”’C99dl“$ '0 "“l““3
the side, the great sea-king prevented him. ‘ Martin,’ says he ‘ we've shrews enough in our own country with-
out taking another; but my luck)’ hour is P35’: "ml I "W53 80: 50 1'9"’ l5 “ill” 7”" "mm dmm than deserve"
and he flung a bag of gold into his boat, which. when he turned to look at, after landing, he found returned to
its original state on the rock; not so, however, the gold, with which he built his statcli P'“‘l3C9n “ml P“"‘l‘“5'-'5
the seven glcns.”
The site of Court Martin is now occupied by a school, built by liln Tl1ml.Y- .
The picturesque conical hill of Lurg Eidan, with its flat green snmmih “'l‘“"’ the ""l'''5““3 “ Fl" Mccofll
and Ossiun with their clan-na-buiske were lodged within a fortress, affords subjects for a volume of stones.
Knock-na-chich, or Gallows-hill, has also its fair share of legends; there are also some attached to the ["37
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